Most of the time, the displayed text includes a transcription or translation of the spoken language in the video. Subtitles and captions are both text displayed on a video that provide additional or interpretive information for viewers who are deaf, Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, or just need more than audio.

What do subtitles and captions have in common? Who knows how long we will continue to see that “CC” at the bottom of our video players? Countries that continue to use “captioning” are the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines.īut terms change over time and it can be difficult to phase out deprecated terms when the laws, organizations, and user interfaces that govern word usage still contain those terms. “Subtitling” is used in most countries around the world, with some exceptions. It refers both same-language subtitles and translated subtitles. For movies in English, if available, they feature two options for English under the list of subtitle options, once as “English” and once as “English (CC).”Īt the beginning of this article, we described how the term “subtitling” is the most popular way to describe accompanying text information in the global video sharing environment. The evidence is clear in Google Trends: “Instagram caption” is searched for 10 times more than “closed captioning.” And apparently, the right caption can make or break the popularity of an Instagram post.Īs for the preference between the terms subtitle and caption, there has been a clear shift over the years in favor of “subtitling.” For deaf and hard of hearing viewers that need additional descriptions of audio information, Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) has become 4 times more popular than the term “closed captioning.” Even Netflix has moved to using “subtitles” to categorically refer to all subtitling text options for the screen. The history of photo captions is longer than video captioning, and it seems like the term is making a return to its roots through the popular photo-and-video sharing app Instagram. The term developed both a metaphorical meaning (capturing the meaning of a photograph) and a literal meaning (the seizure of tangible property). When it comes to translated video, those are called “subtitles,” same as commonly used worldwide.įun fact: The origin of the word “caption” is to take or seize. Captions only refer to subtitles that are in the same language as the spoken video.

“Caption” is the term used primarily in North America. The vocabulary debate occurs with same-language subtitles, which some people refer to as “captions,” which you’ll see next.įun fact: The origin of the word “subtitle” comes in two forms: a secondary title to a written work and the textual version of dialog in a dramatic production. There is no difference there, depending on which part of the world you are in (keep reading to find out more). Subtitles can be in the same language as the video or translated into another language.

“Subtitle” is the most common term worldwide for text that accompanies video content. What do subtitles and captions have in common?.If you want to know why, then you’re reading the right article. Some people call them subtitles, and some people call them captions. We talked recently about the rich and storied history of subtitles from operatic tradition to Weird Al music videos, subtitles and captions silently strengthen the connection between content and its audience.īut there is some debate online about what to call those little words at the bottom of your video. Whether you need to understand a quiet speaker, to catch a verbal “ Easter egg” in a cult film, or discern speech with an unfamiliar accent, closed captioning and subtitles are your friend while watching videos.

Open caption definition